Dana White’s UFC Handed Terrible News Regarding 205-Pound Champion Carlos Ulberg

The manager of UFC light heavyweight champion, Carlos Ulberg, revealed the extent of the his injury and how long it will take for him to return.

Dana White’s UFC Handed Terrible News Regarding 205-Pound Champion Carlos Ulberg

UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg [via WFIN]

In Short
  • Carlos Ulberg, the new UFC light heavyweight champion, suffered a torn ACL during his title-winning fight.
  • He underwent successful surgery, but recovery could take up to 12 months, jeopardizing his championship status.
  • Ulberg misplaced his championship belt while celebrating in Miami, adding to the challenges he faces as a new champion.

The UFC light heavyweight division’s woes continue with the future uncertain. It was not long ago that both Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill successively vacated the belt after suffering serious injuries. Now, it seems the newly crowned champion, Carlos Ulberg, may suffer the same fate.

Ulberg won the title at UFC 327 against Prochazka by knocking him out in the first round. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the Kiwi actually did it with a serious injury. Minutes into the first round, his right knee buckled, effectively leaving him with one good leg.

It has just been revealed by his team that Ulberg suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Ariel Helwani broke the news on X after speaking with the 205lbs champion’s manager, Ash Belcastro. Helwani also revealed that Ulberg underwent surgery to repair his torn ACL.

New UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg did in fact tear his ACL en route to winning the belt last Saturday, per his manager Ash Belcastro. “He snapped it,” Belcastro tells me. Ulberg had surgery yesterday. Belcastro says it “went really well,” per his doctors. He also experienced bone bruising and tibia damage due to the fact that he was fighting with the torn ACL, per Belcastro.

Ariel Helwani via X

While the surgery going well is good, the rest is terrible news for Dana White. Per the Mayo Clinic, ACL tears can take up to 12 months to heal. Compounded with the aforementioned tibia damage and bone bruising, that timeline may be extended.

Stability had only just returned to the light heavyweight division after a tumultuous couple of years. First, it was Jiri Prochazka who had to vacate the title due to a gruesome shoulder injury before his scheduled title defense in 2022. Then, the man who filled the void, Jamahal Hill tore his Achilles immediately after winning the title. Once again the belt was vacated with Hill unable to defend his title.

Alex Pereira is the only light heavyweight champion since Jan Blachowicz to defend his title since 2021. Given his length return window, it is entirely possible that Carlos Ulberg meets the same fate as the champions before him not named ‘Poatan’.

Being forced to vacate the belt after such an uphill battle to win it would be a really disappointing turn of events for Ulberg. However, it would seem that he already “lost” the belt, even before any talk of vacating it has come up.

Carlos Ulberg misplaces UFC title while partying in Miami

Winning a UFC title means officially reaching the pinnacle of the sport. It makes a fighter’s legacy undeniable. This is why winning it is always a euphoric moment, especially when it’s a fighter’s first ascent to the belt.

Carlos Ulberg
Carlos Ulberg misplaces title in Miami [via MMA Fighting]

However, it would seem as though Carlos Ulberg got slightly carried away with his celebrations. The Kiwi went partying in Miami after knocking out Jiri Prochazka. It was this celebration and his unwillingness to lug around his newly won title that led to him misplacing it.

I’ve lost the belt, bro. Initially after winning, the plan was to not have a drink. But you know how these things go, right? First, someone gives you a champagne to celebrate…I didn’t want to be carrying the belt around so I think it’s still there at the apartment somewhere. One of the boys probably has it in bed with him.

Carlos Ulberg on losing the belt while partying

It would probably have behooved Ulberg to keep his belt close. However, he isn’t the only champion who had to part ways with something precious. Pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev had a precious gift stolen recently. It was a pair of soccer cleats given to him by PSG star Khvicha Kvaratshkelia.

Ultimately, Carlos Ulberg losing his belt in Miami may have been symbolic. He has a lengthy and arduous recovery ahead of him. So, the 35-year-old may have to part ways with both his belt and his status as a champion.

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